Tips and Tricks from a Professional Interpreter

What Kind of Pain Do You Feel? (Chinese-English Medical Interpretation)

One of the big questions during medical appointments is the patient’s feeling of discomfort and pain. Below is a quick guide to the different types of pains that may come up during a medical interview, along with their Chinese translations. Hope you’ll find this helpful.

Type of Pain

Symptoms

Chinese Translation

Ache

Continuous pain.

痛(tong) , 疼(téng), or疼痛 (téng tong)

Band-Like Pain

A squeezing type of pain.

擠壓痛 (jǐ yā tòng)

Burning, searing

Pain that feels like it was caused by heat or fire.

灼痛 (zhuó tòng) or燒灼感 (shāo zhuó gǎn, a burning sensation)

Cramps (menstrual)

Menstrual pain.

經痛 (jīng tòng)

Cramping, grabbing pain

Spasmodic muscular contraction. Quick pain that feels like spasms or a sudden snatch

绞痛 (jiǎo tong) or 痙攣 (jìng luán)

Cold Pain

Pain that comes with cold sensations. Often seen around the lower back, abdomen, and joints.

冷痛 (lěng tong)

Dull pain

Pain that exists persistently but without much intensity. Pain that’s bearable.

鈍痛 (dùn tòng), 悶痛 (mēn tòng), or 隱痛 (yǐn tòng)

Heavy Pain

Pain with a feeling of being weighted down. Often seen in the head and limbs.

重痛 (zhòng tòng)

Moving pain

A pain that moves continually to different body parts.

走窜痛 (zǒu chuàn tòng)

Needle-like

A pain as if from being punctured with a needle.

刺痛 (cì tòng)

Pressing pain

Feeling as if there’s a weight pushing against part of the body.

壓痛 (yā tòng)

Sharp pain

Cutting or penetrating pain by a sharp or pointing instrument.

尖痛 (jiān tòng), 劇痛 (jù tòng)

Shooting, stabbing pain

Intermittent flash of pain.

閃痛 (shǎn tong)

Splitting pain

Sensation of being ripped apart.

撕裂痛 (sī liè tòng) or 撕裂般疼痛 (sī liè bān de tòng)

Tingling pain

Feelings of numbness as if being pricked by multiple needles.

麻刺痛 (má cì tòng)

What other types of pain have you encountered, or do you think I missed? Please share.